Hubler: Iowans weary of division
By Bret Hayworth, Journal staff writer | Posted: Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Rob Hubler, Democratic candidate for Iowa’s 5th congressional District, speaks to the Sioux City Journal’s editorial board Tuesday. (Staff photo by Tim Hynds)
Rob Hubler of Council Bluffs has worked for the campaign teams and congressional staffs of several high-profile Iowa Democrats, including Berkley Bedell, Tom Harkin and Dick Clark.
Now Hubler would like to become a well-recognized name in Iowa Democratic politics. It will take a win in the Iowa 5th District congressional race over three-term Congressman Steve King, R-Kiron, to achieve that.
In an editorial board meeting with the Journal Tuesday, Hubler said he learned from "remarkable" Democratic lawmakers that the way to success is to listen to Iowans and respond to their needs. Hubler contended King hasn't done enough to improve the way of life for Iowans living in the sprawling 32-county congressional district.
The tag line of Hubler's campaign is "real representation" for the 5th District, which he said involves more than holding press events at the Mexican border or reporting from Iraq that the U.S. is on the cusp of victory as King has done.
Hubler said the first responsibility of a representative is to find out constituent needs, be prominent with public events in the district in the long weekends away from D.C., and then deliver. For example, he said if elected he would lobby to be placed on the House Agriculture Committee (on which King now serves) and then hold subcommittee hearings in Iowa.
While he's never held elective office at any level, Hubler said, "I have the political expertise of knowing how the government works." He said he "won't divide people," and has the skills of building coalitions to deliver government help in health care and energy policy.
Hubler volunteered to join the U.S. Navy, then worked in politics for many years, a time in which he also battled with alcohol problems and had four failed marriages. He said he turned his life around, and from 1989 to 2002 was a full-time Presbyterian minister. He now has 25 years of sobriety.
Hubler, 65, still is in the pulpit many Sundays, but less so recently, he said, with the demands of running a campaign.
Hubler said he's for enlarging the energy pie for America, particularly through the use of renewable energies like ethanol, biodiesel and wind power, in order to reduce the "addiction" the U.S. has for foreign oil.
Hubler said over the last year, through the push by Republicans to drill in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge, the percentage of Americans who back that step has risen from 34 percent to 70 percent. But he doesn't favor drilling there, saying ANWR is set aside for the enjoyment of future generations and shouldn't be raided for the six-month supply of oil he says is within the refuge.
Hubler supports more offshore oil drilling and drilling for oil in two nonprotected spots in Alaska where oil companies can now operate. He also wants a congressional inquiry into why companies aren't getting past 90 percent of refining capacity in existing wells at the same time they're experiencing "almost obscene profits."
"We need to really get into the oil companies and find out what is going on," Hubler said.
Hubler said King's assessment of Iraq aside, it appears the reduced combat fatalities are "a lull." He said the U.S. surge of troops in 2007 was a positive step that should have come sooner, but that recent success in Iraq was aided by two developments outside U.S. control -- the Shiites undertook a truce to reduce sectarian violence and Sunni "snitches" helped clear out al-Qaida terrorists.
The clear goal, Hubler said, is to focus on the strengthened terrorist threat in Afghanistan and to stem, with international cooperation, the threat from Pakistan, which he said is "more volatile" than Iraq.
"We really need to focus on the war on terrorists... It is getting worse every day," Hubler said.
Read more in Hayworth's Politically Speaking blog at www.siouxcityjournal.com/blogs
Editor's note
The Journal will profile senate and congressional candidates as they meet with the Journal editorial board.
Now Hubler would like to become a well-recognized name in Iowa Democratic politics. It will take a win in the Iowa 5th District congressional race over three-term Congressman Steve King, R-Kiron, to achieve that.
In an editorial board meeting with the Journal Tuesday, Hubler said he learned from "remarkable" Democratic lawmakers that the way to success is to listen to Iowans and respond to their needs. Hubler contended King hasn't done enough to improve the way of life for Iowans living in the sprawling 32-county congressional district.
The tag line of Hubler's campaign is "real representation" for the 5th District, which he said involves more than holding press events at the Mexican border or reporting from Iraq that the U.S. is on the cusp of victory as King has done.
Hubler said the first responsibility of a representative is to find out constituent needs, be prominent with public events in the district in the long weekends away from D.C., and then deliver. For example, he said if elected he would lobby to be placed on the House Agriculture Committee (on which King now serves) and then hold subcommittee hearings in Iowa.
While he's never held elective office at any level, Hubler said, "I have the political expertise of knowing how the government works." He said he "won't divide people," and has the skills of building coalitions to deliver government help in health care and energy policy.
Hubler volunteered to join the U.S. Navy, then worked in politics for many years, a time in which he also battled with alcohol problems and had four failed marriages. He said he turned his life around, and from 1989 to 2002 was a full-time Presbyterian minister. He now has 25 years of sobriety.
Hubler, 65, still is in the pulpit many Sundays, but less so recently, he said, with the demands of running a campaign.
Hubler said he's for enlarging the energy pie for America, particularly through the use of renewable energies like ethanol, biodiesel and wind power, in order to reduce the "addiction" the U.S. has for foreign oil.
Hubler said over the last year, through the push by Republicans to drill in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge, the percentage of Americans who back that step has risen from 34 percent to 70 percent. But he doesn't favor drilling there, saying ANWR is set aside for the enjoyment of future generations and shouldn't be raided for the six-month supply of oil he says is within the refuge.
Hubler supports more offshore oil drilling and drilling for oil in two nonprotected spots in Alaska where oil companies can now operate. He also wants a congressional inquiry into why companies aren't getting past 90 percent of refining capacity in existing wells at the same time they're experiencing "almost obscene profits."
"We need to really get into the oil companies and find out what is going on," Hubler said.
Hubler said King's assessment of Iraq aside, it appears the reduced combat fatalities are "a lull." He said the U.S. surge of troops in 2007 was a positive step that should have come sooner, but that recent success in Iraq was aided by two developments outside U.S. control -- the Shiites undertook a truce to reduce sectarian violence and Sunni "snitches" helped clear out al-Qaida terrorists.
The clear goal, Hubler said, is to focus on the strengthened terrorist threat in Afghanistan and to stem, with international cooperation, the threat from Pakistan, which he said is "more volatile" than Iraq.
"We really need to focus on the war on terrorists... It is getting worse every day," Hubler said.
Read more in Hayworth's Politically Speaking blog at www.siouxcityjournal.com/blogs
Editor's note
The Journal will profile senate and congressional candidates as they meet with the Journal editorial board.
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Alvin wrote on Sep 3, 2008 9:09 PM:
The Republicans spend without taxing, and then complain whenever someone tries to balance the budget. "
Brett wrote on Sep 3, 2008 7:02 PM:
mrdwhsr wrote on Sep 3, 2008 10:56 AM: